Where Little Girls Tread
by Gottaluvit
Summary: A Lian Harper story, Roy and Dick have small parts in it, but its mainly Lians story.
1. Chapter 1

**Title- Where Little Girls Tread.**

**Author- Kim**

**Summary- Lian proves how much strength and determination she really has, when it comes to the important things in life.**

**DC owns all characters.**

**Part 1**

**Roy glanced back at his daughter, catching sight of the child in the rear view mirror of his jeep he smiled. "Did you have a nice time sweetheart?" he asked as he drove along the dirt road.**

**"Yes Daddy, I like camping." she replied happily as she continued to brush her dolls hair.**

**"Well next time we come all the way out here, I was thinking of asking if Uncle Ollie wants to come. What do you think about that?".**

**"YAAAY, Uncle Ollie is fun." Lian cheered.**

**They continued to drive along the rough dirt road towards the main highway which was still some miles ahead. They'd spent the weekend camping, which was one of their favorite pastimes and were now returning home. Roy was feeling much more contented and relaxed than he had in quite awhile.**

**On one side of the dirt road they drove along was an incline that ended in a gully, the other side sloped gently up into a rocky hillside, the area was arid and remote but truly beautiful Roy thought as he reached to turn up the jeeps stereo system as Lian's favorite song came on.**

**Roy chuckled to himself as he glanced up into the mirror to see the little girl happily singing along and clapping to the beat. **

**Suddenly out of the corner of his eye, Roy glimpsed an animal. It was almost under his wheels before he could react. Instinctively he reefed the steering wheel to the left and the jeep swerved to the side of the road...to his horror Roy realized he was heading over the embankment, too late to stop the vehicles descent over the side all he could do was hang on and try to keep the jeep upright.**

**Lian screamed as the vehicle bounced roughly from side to side, throwing her little body to and fro as it continued on it's erratic descent...Suddenly all the movent and noise came to a sharp sudden stop as the jeep slammed into the gully below.**

**Silence ensued as Lian sat shocked in her seat. After a moment she began to cry, sobbing hysterically she called out "DADDY?" on hearing no response she called again "DADDY?" still no answer.**

**Through tear clouded eyes she could see her father slumped forward, only his seat belt stopping him from collapsing onto the steering wheel.**

**Shakily she unclipped her own seat belt and moved forward, she could see the front left corner of the jeep was pushed inwards against her father's legs, effectively trapping him in his seat.**

**climbing over into the front beside him she cried "Daddy...Daddy wake up.",reaching out she turned his head towards her, horrified to see blood covering the left side of face. "It's ok Daddy" she sobbed as she climbed over to the back seat grabbing the towel they kept in the jeep to use incase she happened to spill her drinks, returning to the front of the vehicle she desperately tried to wipe off some of the blood."**

**Roy moaned but didn't wake.**

**"Daddy p...please wake up, Daddy please." she begged desperately, as she stated sobbing again.**

**After a while Lian looked around, they were still a long way away from the highway, and Lian hadn't seen any other vehicles on the road the entire weekend...Sniffling she suddenly had an idea, searching around she eventually located her father's cell phone, she sat back and began to push buttons...she'd seen her Dad do it lots of times before. After quite some time she threw the phone down, crying again, this time in frustration at not being able to make it work.**

**Lian waited for her dad to wake, occasionally a soft moan escaped his lips, but he never woke. Eventually Lian realized she couldn't wait any longer, it would be dark in a couple of hours...Her Daddy needed her, she was all he had. she reached up and gently patted Roy's red hair and placed a feathery kiss on his cheek.."I'm gonna find you some help Daddy." she whispered.**

**Placing the cell phone in her pocket of her overalls she scurried over into the back seat. Then she picked up her Barbie drink flask and hat, pulled on her sandals and climbed out the back door.**

**end of 1**


	2. Chapter 2

**Title- Where Little Girls Tread.**

**Author- Kim**

**Summary- Lian proves how much strength and determination she really has, when it comes to the important things in life.**

**DC owns all characters.**

**Part 2**

**After what seemed like an eternity Lian finally managed to climb to the top of the embankment and onto the road. Panting, she sat down in the dirt and wiped her sweaty brow on the back of her hand. She then took a drink from her flask, got to her feet and took one last look at the vehicle in the gully below, before turning and walking towards were she remembered the highway was.**

**Some time later Lian rounded a bend in the road..Suddenly she saw movement on the ground in front of her..she froze her heart pounding in her chest as she watched a large brown snake slowing slithering it's way across the road. "Stay very, very still..don't move." she whispered to herself as she remembered her fathers words on what she should do when confronted by one of these creatures. After awhile the snake moved away, and Lian cautiously set off again, this time keeping a close eye out for any more serpents that might be lurking near the road side.**

**Eventually Lian found herself having to stop and rest, the late afternoon sun beat down on her with considerable force, the heat sapping her energy and making her head ache, her little legs felt wobbly and she was tired and thirsty. Drinking some more from her flask, she frowned realizing she had no water left, she threw the flask aside and sat for a moment more, before rising and setting off again.**

**-------------**

**Roy moaned and stirred a wave of nausea and dizziness flooded over him, he tried to open his eye's but they wouldn't respond he managed to open his mouth and croak "Lian?". On hearing no answer he forced his eyes to open, wincing at the bright light that assaulted his senses and slammed painfully into his brain. Taking a minute to gather his strength, he called out louder "Lian" still no answer came to him. Feeling panic rising up inside him, he turned to look behind him..Pain slammed into his body, and he cried out in agony before succumbing to the darkness that washed over him.**

**-------------**

**Lian continued her lonely trek towards the highway, it was so much further than she thought it was. All of the sudden her sandal snagged on a small rock, she stumbled and fell, throwing her hands out in front of her to stop her fall, she cried out as she skinned her palms on the rough ground. She sat sobbing softly for a moment while she inspected her hands and wiped them on her overalls. Still sniffling she removed her sandals one of which now had a broken strap, tossing them aside, then she rubbed her tears away with dirty hands before continuing on her way. **

**An hour later and darkness had begun to set in. Lian tried to hurry on but her little legs protested too much to continue...She found a rocky outcrop at the side of the road and sat down. She was tired, hungry and thirsty..to exhausted to sit up she nestled against a boulder and within minutes she had fallen into an unsettled sleep.**

**End part 2**


	3. Chapter 3

**Title- Where Little Girls Tread.**

**Author- Kim**

**Summary- Lian proves how much strength and determination she really has, when it comes to the important things in life.**

**DC owns all characters.**

part 3

**Lian woke up and huddled into a tight ball as the soft sounds of animals scurrying around or searching for food came to her ears. Trembling with fear at the unknown she lay there fearing that at any moment one of those sounds she could hear would manifest itself into a monster that's main source of nourishment was frightened little girls. And so the night went on, a terrified child alone in the desert.**

**Lian, still curled up in a ball had finally drifted back to sleep when eventually dawn broke, she lay like that for awhile until the sunlight finally forced her to wake.**

**She sat up, looking around her confused by her surroundings. Then slowly she remembered the events of the day before..Rubbing her tired eyes, she stood on shaky legs, she was so thirsty, her lips were dry and her tongue felt like it was sticking to the sides of her mouth. Picturing her fathers face in her mind, she set off again, wincing at the pain that her stiff little joints caused, she would have cried but there were no tears left to give.**

**------------------------**

**Dick Grayson walked quickly through the small cafe, offering an apologetic smile to the tall dark haired man the sat waiting for him.**

**"Sorry I'm late Bruce I kinda slept in, the alarm didn't go off and that's set me behind on every thing...Hey I thought Tim was going to meet us for breakfast as well, where is the brat anyway?." Dick joked.**

**"Called to an emergency with the Titans, I would have called you and cancelled..."**

**"But Alfred wouldn't let you?" Dick asked.**

**"Wouldn't hear of it..said we needed to do this more often." Bruce replied.**

**A waitress approached and the two men gave her their orders, she smiled at them and winked at Dick as she turned to leave. Dick felt himself blush slightly at the girls small flirtation.**

**"So did you get the information you needed from my informant?" Bruce asked quietly.**

**"Yep, all wrapped up..guess that's why I slept in, I didn't finish up until four thirty this morning.." Dick stopped talking as the waitress returned placing two cups of coffee in front of the men before leaving again.**

**Dick took a sip of the hot liquid, and glanced at the time on his watch, frowning slightly.**

**"You have some where else you need to be?" Bruce asked.**

**Dick glanced at Bruce,"No...no it's not that, it's just Roy hasn't called in yet."**

**"Called in? Is he working a case for you?"**

**"No nothing like that, he's been camping for the weekend actually. He would have left yesterday, he's supposed to phone me this morning when he gets home, he's always arranged to call someone after getting home when he goes out to some of the more remote areas, especially when he has Lian with him."**

**"So someone knows he's missing if something goes wrong..very wise move."**

**"He should have called half an hour ago."**

**"Maybe he was delayed, or maybe he forgot, this is Harper we're talking about."**

**"He's never forgotten before...I'll give it a bit more time, then I'll call him." Dick said pausing to accept his plate of bacon and eggs from the waitress.**

**------------------------------------**

**Lian's flopped down in the shade of a large boulder, she felt weak and nauseous, her head pounded so hard she could barely concentrate on any thing else...She reached for her foot and glanced at the bottom of it, cringing as she looked at the huge weeping blisters that covered the soul ...she felt she had no strength to continue...She looked around her, with sight that was beginning to blur... Then she saw it, she stared hard willing her eyesight to clear..yes it was what she thought it was. A movement in the distance had caught her attention, A truck driving along..she had found the highway.**

**end 3**


	4. Chapter 4

**Title- Where Little Girls Tread.**

**Author- Kim**

**Summary- Lian proves how much strength and determination she really has, when it comes to the important things in life.**

**DC owns all characters.**

**Part 4**

**Carol Drysdon glanced over to her husband Jim as they drove along the highway, "Nearly home." she said, smiling.**

**"Yeah, I'll be glad to get there it's been a long trip." her husband replied.**

**Carol turned her head away to continue looking out the window at the familiar scenery that passed by, they were returning home from visiting her parents and as much as she enjoyed spending time with her family, she had to admit that she was looking forward to getting home as well.**

**A movement on the side of the highway caught her eye, she looked harder..an animal?...No.."Jim stop the car there's a kid out there." she screamed.**

**As soon as the car had slowed to a stop, she leapt out, running towards the little girl that came stumbling towards her...Catching the child into her arms as the little girls legs finally gave way and she fell, "Bring some water..fast." she yelled to her husband. "It's ok sweetheart I've got you." she reassured the child.**

**Jim ran up and handed a bottle of water to his wife.."Where the hell did she come from?" he asked, looking around in the distance for some sign of another vehicle.**

**Lian drank thirstily at the water she was offered before the woman took the bottle away.**

**"Hey..slow down sweety, it's not good to drink it so fast, just take little sips ok" Carol said.**

**Lian looked at her, her big brown eye's pleading, "Help my Daddy." she croaked softly.**

**---------------------------------------**

**"Just ring him and get it over with." Bruce said as he noticed Dick looking at his watch yet again.**

**"Yeah I will, he's over an hour late, there's probably a very good reason for it, but you never know." Dick said as he punched Roy's home number into the cell phone. He sat for a moment waiting for his friend to answer, only to get the machine come on line "Hey Roy?...Roy you there bud?..if you are will ya pick up please." when his request wasn't answered, he sat back and frowned.**

**"You don't think he would have stayed and extra day?" Bruce asked.**

**"No he would have called..He's not at home so I'll try his cell..." Dick was already dialing the number as he spoke.**

**He waited patiently for the call to be picked up, and when it did he had to stifle his anger when a woman's voice answered, here he was sitting around worrying over his friend, when Roy had merely found himself a woman to keep him entertained, "Uh...yeah hi, is Roy there?" he asked annoyance creeping into his tone.**

**The woman on the other end responded. "Are you a friend of the man who owns this cell phone?" the woman asked.**

**"Yeah is he around?"**

**"Actually he's not, we're not sure were he is at the moment...But you might be able to help out with some things."**

**"What things? Where's Roy?...and where's Lian?" Dick asked a small wave of concern beginning to rise.**

**"Lian?..is that the little girls name?..Look Mister, I don't exactly know how to say this, but we found the little girl wandering on the side of the highway, she was very dehydrated and we brought her to the hospital...They haven't found her father yet, but they've got people out looking, it's lucky for us that the little one had this cell phone in her pocket or we wouldn't have even known her name."**

**Dick stood and pulled out a pen, and began to jot details of the hospital's location down on a napkin as the woman answered the questions he fired at her, "Ok...Look I'll make arrangements straight away to fly there, I'll be there as quick as I can." he said before giving the woman his cell phone number in case they needed to contact him.**

**"Sounds like there's a problem." Bruce commented.**

**"Major one, Roy's missing and Lian's in hospital."**

**"Right... you get moving, I'll call Dinah and she can meet you at the airport..I'll make the arrangements, you just go." Bruce said, as he pulled out his own cell phone.**

**------------------------------**

**Some time later Dick and Dinah walked into Lian's hospital room, they had already thanked Lian's rescuers and been filled in on some of the details of what appeared to have happened. The little girl appeared to be sleeping peacefully as Dinah approached the nurse who was writing observations in a chart. "How is she." Dinah whispered concerned.**

**"The nurse smiled, "She's doing well, she should be able to go home in the morning."**

**"Have they found Roy yet?" Dick asked concerned.**

**"Her father? Yes he was bought in about half an hour ago, I can't tell you any details, just that they appear to have been involved in a motor vehicle accident, the doctors are with him now." The nurse replied.**

**"Can you direct me to where they are and I'll go and wait until I can find out some information?." Dinah asked.**

**"No you stay with Lian, I'll go." Dick said.**

**The nurse gave the required directions, and Dick left the room.**

**Dinah pulled a chair up next to the bed and sat down, when she looked back at Lian's face she was surprised to find the little girl watching her.**

**"Hello sweetheart." Dinah whispered leaning over to gently stroke the child's hair.**

**Lian slowly reached towards Dinah then burst into tears. Dinah picked her up and drew her into a hug, careful not to bump the IV attached to her little arm. "Shhhh..Oh honey don't cry...It's ok shhhh." she soothed as she rocked the crying child.**

**They sat that way for a long time until Lian's sobs began to ease and the little girl began to talk, "I was scared." she said quietly.**

**"I know you were honey, it's scary for even big people to be lost in such a big open space."**

**"No..I was scared that I couldn't help my Daddy...he had a bad owie and he couldn't wake up." Lian began to cry again.**

**"Baby, it's ok..they've found your Daddy, Uncle Dick has gone to check on him now..It's all going to be fine honey." Dinah whispered, awed at the love the little girl had for her father.**

**"I was walking and walking and I got sore feet." Lian paused to point out her bandaged feet,"And I couldn't find anyone to help Daddy." she sniffled and cuddled into Dinah harder.**

**"So you walked all that way to find help for your Dad?" said Dick as he returned.**

**Lian sat up and offered a weak smile of welcome to Dick before nodding.**

**"Well sweetheart." Dick said crouching down to look into the little girls face, "You've done a great job...Thanks to you, your Dads going to be fine, he's going to be a bit sore for awhile but he'll be good as new in a few weeks time.**

**----------------------------------**

**Roy lay sleeping as Dinah, Lian and Dick entered his room the next morning, He'd suffered a broken arm, and he'd had surgery to pin the break in his left leg shortly after arriving at the hospital, he'd also received 12 stitches to a gash on the side of his head.**

**"See we told you he was here."Dick said quietly to Lian.**

**Roy stirred, then looked at the three of them..."Hey sweetheart." He whispered.**

**Dick smiled, "Hey yourself sweetheart." he joked.**

**"Shut up short pants." Roy grumbled half heartedly.**

**Dinah smiled."And we told you he was going to be fine." she said lifting Lian up on to the side of the bed next to Roy's good arm.**

**Roy reached out and Lian scurried in to lay against his chest as Roy wrapped his arm around her.**

**A nurse approached and smiled at the two of them, "You should be very proud of your little girl after what she did Mister Harper." She said.**

**"I've been proud of her every single day since I first laid eyes on her." Roy whispered, as he kissed the top of her head...He knew how lucky he was to have her in his life, he didn't need anyone else to tell him how truly blessed he was.**

**End 4**


End file.
